Artwork
Apollo
Apollo is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hendrick Goltzius. It dates from 1588 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:in image, at top centre: Dispellit tenebras, tortumqué illuminat orbem / Sol rutilus radiante coma, et fulgore corusco; in image, at bottom centre: HG. fe. / Ao. 88.
About this work
Overview
Hendrick Goltzius, a German‑born artist active in the Netherlands, produced the engraving titled Apollo in 1588. Executed on laid paper, the print presents a muscular, winged figure of the Greek god standing on a rock, bow in one hand and staff in the other, his gaze directed upward.
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays Apollo, the classical deity of music, poetry and the sun, rendered in a heroic pose that emphasizes physical strength and divine authority. The inclusion of a distant hill, a solitary tree and faint architectural forms situates the god within a mythic landscape, reinforcing his role as a patron of the arts and a celestial figure.
Technique & Style
Goltzius employed fine, intersecting lines to create a dense cross‑hatching that models light and shadow across the figure’s musculature. This meticulous line work generates a convincing three‑dimensional effect, characteristic of the Northern Mannerist style that prized intricate detail and dynamic, elongated forms.
History & Provenance
Recognized as a leading Dutch engraver of the early Baroque era, Goltzius frequently turned to classical mythology for subject matter. Apollo exemplifies his mature period, when his technical mastery of engraving was widely admired. The print was produced for the market of collectors interested in learned, allegorical imagery, and survives in several museum collections today.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.
